Black Friday 2025: Inside the Online Scams Behind the Season of Deals and Promotions

That Black Friday is one of the most profitable moments for brands is nothing new: according to data from Neotrust, revenue expectations for the 2024 edition are projected to grow by 9.1% compared to 2023, reaching R$9.3 billion.

However, what is new—and alarming—is that these offers and promotions have also been turning into a period marked by virtual scams, as revealed in our latest study, which investigated the number of fake websites and ads during the weeks leading up to the event.

To give you an idea: during the Black Friday "warm-up" period alone, we found that Brazil had already registered over 1,000 fraudulent websites using Black Friday-related branding and terms—many impersonating well-known names like McDonald's, Nike, Amazon, and Mercado Livre.

This number of active fake pages is three times higher than what was tracked in the same period in 2023.

If we consider the total number of fake sites and ads across platforms—what we call Brand Impersonation—regardless of their connection to Black Friday, more than 3,790 scam attempts were identified in October alone. These often promote "exclusive deals," “never-seen-before prices,” and "limited-time offers."

Among the most affected sectors, the study highlights:

• Fashion and apparel (30.2%)
• E-commerce and marketplaces (25.1%)
• Supplements (14.3%)

Let’s take a closer look at this issue:

What is Brand Impersonation?

If this is the first time you're hearing the term, don’t worry: Brand Impersonation refers to the digital replication of a brand’s identity in order to deceive people—a practice that’s becoming increasingly sophisticated.

Currently, the main fraudulent tactics include:

• Fake domain creation: Scammers register domains that closely resemble brand names with slight variations—adding words like “promo” or “blackfriday” to confuse consumers;
• Paid advertising: These fake sites are promoted through Google Ads and Meta Ads, appearing at the top of search results and competing with official ads;
• Detailed visual imitation: They replicate the layout and visual elements of official brand pages to make the scams more believable;
• Use of deepfakes in video ads: Criminals use AI to create deepfake videos featuring influencers or brand ambassadors, making them seem like legitimate promotional content, which increases trust and effectiveness of the scam;
• Too-good-to-be-true offers: They attract consumers with absurdly low prices and encourage instant payment via PIX;
• Sensitive data theft: These fake sites collect credit card and personal information that can later be used in other fraudulent activities;
• Fake social media profiles: These profiles imitate brand communications and run sponsored ads with false offers.

How Do Fake Sites and Ads Impact a Brand?

Regardless of size or industry, digital scams can affect brands in various harmful ways:

Damage to brand image

‍An online scam can significantly harm a brand’s reputation. Trust is essential to customer loyalty, and when consumers are exposed to scams using the brand’s name, many associate the company with the fraud due to a lack of information or clarity.
This negative association creates a lasting and harmful impression, making the brand appear less secure—or even complicit—which directly impacts consumer trust.

Increased demand on customer service

‍Online scams dramatically increase customer service requests, as confused consumers reach out to the legitimate brand seeking clarification or refunds.

Did you know that when a brand is targeted by these scams, customer support demand can spike by up to 3,000%?

This overloads support teams, raises operational costs, and compromises the experience of real customers, who may face long wait times. Constantly clarifying that the brand isn't involved in the scam can further wear down its public image.

Reduced trust and decline in future sales

‍Loss of trust is a direct consequence of online scams. Customers become more cautious and hesitant, which impacts their buying decisions.
This leads to a decline in future sales, as people avoid associating with brands they perceive as risky or untrustworthy.

So, How Can You Protect Your Brand and Audience?

To help your team stay ahead of the rising wave of online scams, here are key preventive actions you can begin implementing today:

• Continuous monitoring: Use tools to track brand usage across new domains, ads, and social media profiles;
• Suspicious activity detection: Monitor campaigns offering unrealistic deals and investigate their legitimacy;
• Rapid takedown requests: Report and request immediate removal of fake pages and profiles from platforms;
• Consumer education: Inform your audience about official channels and how to recognize real promotions;
• Partnerships with financial institutions: Collaborate with payment platforms to block accounts involved in scams.

Study Methodology

To investigate fake websites and ads during the Black Friday "warm-up" period, our research analyzed hundreds of suspicious activities throughout October 2024.

These actions were identified by the presence of keywords like “black friday” and variations in both page content and domain names (URLs).

Once flagged, we verified which websites used terms, titles, or addresses closely resembling major Brazilian-recognized brands such as McDonald’s, Nike, Amazon, Mercado Livre, and Americanas.

Black Friday 2025: Count on Branddi to Safeguard Your Brand

Everyone knows that this year’s Black Friday will offer major opportunities for businesses across sectors. But it also demands extra attention when it comes to protecting your brand in the digital environment.

To avoid potential headaches, it’s essential to adopt preventive strategies that mitigate financial risk and safeguard your reputation.

At Branddi, we offer comprehensive brand protection solutions, not only monitoring brand usage across multiple platforms but also acting swiftly against potential threats.

With an experienced team and advanced tools, we’re ready to support your company during Black Friday—and throughout the entire year.

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